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LIFESTYLE: Top Five Chicago Photo Ops for Christmas Cards

Introducing a guest post by up-and-coming mom blogger, Jen (@KeepCalmandMom on Twitter!) Jen is sharing some great ideas for holiday card photo opportunities around Chicago, as well as some great links! Welcome, Jen!

Chicago is toured by many and is said to be one of the most
interesting cities in the country. It
offers an amazing number of tourist attractions that offer photo opportunities
as a backdrop for holiday greeting cards. There are far too many to all get the
mention that they deserve. Here are five
that you can surely find inspiring.

·Crown Fountain – the unusual fresco style art
makes a remarkable backdrop. Who would not want a giant pair of lips drinking
from a straw on their holiday card? The
moving faces will wink at you from above as you try to pose people for a
picture.

·Navy Pier at Night – Probably the most famous
view in the Windy City, the pier is a mesmerizing display of lights that
reflect off of the lake at night. It
offers opportunities to be creative with shutter speeds, filters and exposures
for special effects.

·Wrigley Field – The famous home of the beloved
Cubs, the classic red and white signage is already donned in Christmas colors
to coordinate with your holiday attire.

·Hancock Tower View – The view from the 103rd
floor is a panorama of the entire city. It is a must see for anyone visiting
Chi Town and offers an awesome backdrop for a holiday photo shoot.

·Cloud Gate – No trip to Chicago would be
complete without a trip to “The Bean,” a giant shiny chrome sculpture so called
for its shape. Try to be creative
instead of posing in front. Use its
distorted reflectivity to create a carnival mirror effect when taking photos.

There are many others such as the Chicago Cultural Center.
There is no telling what fantastic opportunity may appear in this venue for the
perfect shot. Also, a visit to see
Marilyn Monroe should be on your list. Erected only last year, this giant
likeness of Marilyn and her famous wind lifted skirt from, Gentleman Prefer
Blondes has become a huge attraction.

It would take a volume, not a blog post to remark about all
the notable and interesting sites in Chicago. Only a handful has been mentioned
but so many more exist. The best advice that can be given herd is to take a
long weekend and come see for yourself. Be ready to take a lot of pictures for
your holiday cards for the upcoming season.
Once you do the rest is easy. Online sites like TinyPrints.com offer a
wide array of Christmas card designs, just choose your card design and the rest will be done for
you. I will be traveling to Chicago in November and cannot wait to find the
perfect spot for my holiday cards! You can also visit ExploreChicago for more ideas and things to do in Chicago.

Meet Jen!

Jen L. is a freelance writer and aspiring blogger. She enjoys writing about parenting, cooking (especially cupcakes!) and crafting. Jen is happily married to her college sweetheart and a mother to two beautiful little girls. If Jen's not at home, you can find her at Whole Foods! Follow Jen on Twitter @KeepCalmandMom